Heavenly Fists
by Ninjamelon
Summary: A new tournament has started up, but unlike so many others, this one does have not the usual mad man boss determined to take over the world at the end! Think you can survive the shock? A Capcom Snk crossover.
1. Part One

Two men were relaxing in a Japanese hot bath both talking about food, women, fighting, everyday life and half watching a pointless game show. Their names were Benimaru Nikaido and Shingo Yabuki, two well-known street fighters and regulars in the 'King of Fighters' tournaments.  
  
Benimaru was mid twenties, obviously tall although sitting down in a bath and had great spikes of blonde hair which he continuously ran his fingers through. Shingo was a younger Japanese high school student. He had short brown hair and a continual playful look in his eyes and a mischievous (although not quite an evil genius) type grin.  
  
Both enjoying the heat and playing with the water, their cares turning to vapour like that surrounding them, Benimaru noticed that they weren't the only ones enjoying the steam and water.  
  
An old man, an 'extremely elderly man' in Benimaru's opinion, was sitting across from Shingo and himself, seemingly captivated by the television game show. Benimaru was quite certain that he may not have been so old in fact, but had just been sitting in a hot tub for quite some amount of time, five years perhaps. His skin was lined, wrinkled and had an odd yellow tinge to it. His head was decorated with three or four blacks hairs sticking out at odd angles, he had forgotten to take his shabby robes off before he got in the water and he also appeared to have just one arm.  
  
Benimaru was sure this man had not been here at least five minutes ago.  
  
When Benimaru had a second glance, he noticed that this man was no longer watching the television, but asleep. Benimaru watched in amazement and disgust as his head lolled and a bubble escaped from his nose.  
  
Benimaru turned to make this aware to Shingo (who was now out of the bath and kneeling on the tiles, peeking through a hole in the wall that lead to the female bathing area) but as he turned back around, the bathroom was deserted.  
  
"Shingo! Now's not the time!" Echoed Benimaru's voice.  
  
Shingo reluctantly got up.  
  
"And for the love of god, put a towel on!"  
  
It was a regular bustling morning in Tokyo, Japan. A sea of people hurrying and dawdling, blaring noises and techno sounds echoing from gaming arcades and high price shops and amidst all this, standing calmly outside a shabby, takoyaki takeaway restaurant as if she were the only person on earth, was a beautiful girl, early twenties and attired in traditional Chinese dress except for white, lace-up boots and playing a hand held videogame.  
  
"Hey Chun-Li san!" called a young and hyped up voice from some where amongst the street.  
  
"Hey Chun-Li san, look up!" Said a teenage girl slightly louder than before.  
  
"Oh, Good morning Ibuki." She replied, turning of her game and shoving it into a backpack.  
  
Ibuki was slightly shorter than Chun-Li and slightly younger. A few strands of her long dark hair fell gracefully over her eyes and apart from that and her long ponytail Ibuki was in full traditional Japanese dress in a red kimono and wooden clogs.  
  
"You look really nice Ibuki!" Chun-Li said eyeing her red kimono. "Maybe I should get one, I guess I kinda stand out dressing like this."  
  
Chun-Li was not wrong, businessmen and teenage boys couldn't help but glance twice, although it wasn't exactly what she was wearing that they were interested in.  
  
"I'd let you have this if my mother wasn't so obsessed with me 'dressing like a lady'." Ibuki said gloomily referring to the kimono.  
  
The tune of a popular video game opening scene could faintly be heard. Ibuki's cell was calling. Rummaging around in her sleeves trying to find it she said, "Please hold these." And handed over a handful of kunai daggers to Chun-Li. "And these." Another hand full. "And...the -" Chun-Li had a worried look on her face expecting to be handed more daggers that she'd have to conceal from the general public around her, but to her relief Ibuki pulled out her phone instead.  
  
"Moshi-Moshi." She said brightly. "Ah, cool... Okay... See ya."  
  
"That was, Benimaru, he's also going to meet up with us." Chun-Li smiled. "Shall we get going then?" Handing back the large amount of daggers. Ibuki rolled up her sleeve to check her watch and quickly concealed the weaponry. It was three minutes past seven.  
  
"Sure." She said. "I'll need to stop for breakfast on the way though."  
  
"Thought you'd never ask." Said Chun-li with a smile and a hand rubbing her stomach.  
  
-Meanwhile a few streets up-  
  
"How awesome!" Said a teenage high school girl to her somewhat less than interested friend. "I love street fighting!" She pulled a long piece of white cloth out of her bag and tied it around her forehead yet still not taking an eye of the fight. The fight was taking place on quickly assembled arena with a slightly cushioned floor, raised a few feet of the ground and a couple metres in length. A small, middle-aged man with a microphone was commentating on every move but little could be heard over the roaring crowd.  
  
On the left side of the arena was a slouched over young man with straight blue hair that came down to his shoulders, a black leather jacket and an expressionless face who was weaving in and out of an assault of fast and swooping kicks, thrown with such power that he was steadily being backed into a corner. The owner of these kicks was none other than Hong Kong martial arts actor Fei Long.  
  
Fei Long bearing his signature Kung Fu attire and lack of a shirt had a grin on his face and every now and then in the middle of his attack would turn and wink to the crowd.  
  
The surly looking blue haired fighter noticing this opening, crouched low, waited for the exact moment of his opponent's careless address to the crowd and  
  
"_THhwaak"_ He jumped backwards extending his body to full length, kicked Fei Long powerfully across the torso before back flipping mid air and landing effortlessly on both feet.  
  
_"Thud"_ Fei long landed hard on his back but quickly rolled backwards and back onto his feet, clearly agitated and startled about what just happened.  
  
At this point in time Chun-Li and Ibuki had pushed their way through the crowd excited to see what was happening whilst finishing their breakfasts.  
  
Fei Long now standing in a more defensive stance but the blue haired stranger was walking down the steps no longer wanting to fight.  
  
"Hey! What's up with this?!" Fei Long yelled loudly. The crowd had now quietened down and the commentator could be heard. The blue haired fighter was named Remy.  
  
"I choose to end zis on my own terms." He spoke coolly and calmly with his back towards Fei Long.  
  
"Gan ni nia!" Fei Long swore. But it was no use. Remy just walked away.  
  
The crowd was thinning now whilst the arena was being packed up. But a group fans had swamped Fei Long for autographs (Which he didn't seem to mind about).  
  
Chun-Li and Ibuki slightly disappointed to miss the fight continued on their way. After ten minutes of walking about the central Tokyo streets and talking about 'alternative hairstyles that don't get in the way of fighting' they came across a small gaming arcade.  
  
The ground floor brimming with people playing and wasting their yen while the floor above, billiard tables and a small restaurant.  
  
They found a table near a window, overlooking the street below. Shortly after they had been seated along came Benimaru Nikaido and Shingo Yabuki. Benimaru eyeing his electrically charged hair in every reflective surface and Shingo glancing around every couple of seconds as if expecting someone.  
  
Benimaru was wearing jeans and a jacket, while Shingo was sporting his usual fighting wear; gloves and a headband imitating that of Kyo Kusangi and a blue track suite.  
  
"Hey guys." The two girls chimed.  
  
"Hey." Benimaru and Shingo replied. "Kusangi san isn't coming is he?" Shingo continued glancing around his shoulder looking hopeful. "How many times do I have to tell you Shingo? Kyo's out with Yuki!" Sighed Benimaru.  
  
With Ibuki and Chun-Li trying to suppress their giggles, Chun-Li managed to say "Hey Shingo maybe you should ask Kyo out, that way you'll get a lot more attention!"  
  
Everyone began to laugh, except Shingo who didn't seem to notice, still looking around for Kyo.  
  
"So anyway" Ibuki began "what did you call us here for Benimaru?" "Yeah I was wondering the same thing." Said Shingo no longer looking about but now staring avidly at Benimaru. Benimaru smiled. "Well I've caught wind of this from Daimon back in Kyoto." And he placed a small, carved wooden scroll on the table. Benimaru sat back in his seat looking relaxed while the others glanced at each other then stared at Benimaru.  
  
Chun-Li picked it up, unravelled it and seeing it was in Japanese, handed it over to Ibuki.  
  
"King of Fighters inc. brings its exciting tournament to Tokyo." Ibuki began aloud whilst brushing aside the few strands of hair obscuring her view. "Those entering must assemble a four fighter team consisting of one substitute. The rest is just legal mumbo-jumbo." Ibuki finished, scanning the rest of the sheet then proceeding to order another punnet of ice cream from a nearby vending machine.  
  
"So, think this is a pretty good team?" Said Benimaru clicking his fingers and sending bright blue sparks into the air. The discussion went on about the tournament and their agreement.  
  
The four left after a while, Shingo and Benimaru caught a train back to Shinjuku and Ibuki and Chun-Li continued with a little more sight seeing. As the sun began to set on the city, the rays catching the pollution in the air making poisonous looking pink clouds, the many neon lights flickering on, a whole new species of people emerged.  
  
Ibuki escorted Chun-Li back to her hotel and left for where she was staying the night.  
  
Ibuki walked by a noisy street full of karaoke bars, down a dirty old alley and into a full speed run. With a red blur and a swishing sound, passing stray cats and leaving them with only a slight breeze and a mystified look in their glowing eyes. She leapt, kicked off a brick wall with one foot, soaring through the air and landing silently, despite hefty wooden clogs, on top of a building.  
  
She glanced about, then began another run, jumping from rooftop to rooftop as agile as a cat and as silent as a tanuki with just the faintest sound coming from the kimono billowing in the breeze, revealing a ninja costume.  
  
Leaping from a low rooftop at full speed, flying momentarily and grasping onto a rafter like a piece of bamboo, she dropped from rafter to fire escape ladder, wrapping her leg around the ladder and swinging herself into a somersault and landing on the footpath right in front of a bath house and stepped through the doors.  
  
The only person to notice a small girl just appear there, was a elderly old man with his pants up to his waist, walking past (he just smiled at Ibuki and continued on his way).  
  
The bath house had an upper level made up of several small apartments. Ibuki had been staying here around three months whilst she was training in Tokyo and yet it appeared as if she had been staying there all her life.  
  
There was a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, wires and console controllers were scattered over the small living room area and gashapon figurines were positioned over most available flat surface.  
  
Ibuki was about to spend this night training in urban Tokyo. But before she was about to, she decided to take a bath. She changed into jeans and a t-shirt, hung her kimono and weapons away and set down stairs with a towel.  
  
The bathing area smelt strongly of herbal salts and was very warm and steamy. Ibuki undressed, placed her clothes in a small basket and went on into the main bathroom. She had a quick shower then slid into the warm water. The steam made her usual protruding jagged fringe droop lifelessly onto her face and turned her chubby cheeks feint shade of pink.  
  
She rested in the water for a while then decided she wanted to try a different bath.  
  
She got out a wrapped the towel around her, and mischievously crept out and around the corner into the private bathing area. It was deserted so Ibuki slid in the water, enjoying her little rebellion. She looked around; it was bigger, warmer and all in all more extravagant. This private bathing area was for those who paid extra and was mainly used by sumo.  
  
Gazing dreamily at the wall, which was painted with a blue samurai and a rising sun behind him, she came out of dreaming, startled by an old man in the bath across from her. Her hands shot quickly across her chest and she crossed her legs, covering her naked body, but the old man didn't seem to notice.  
  
Ibuki was now starting to wonder where this man had come from.  
  
"He definitely wasn't there when I came in." She thought to herself,  
  
He had very old, wrinkled and slightly green skin, a few black hairs and one arm. To top it all of he was wearing clothes in the bath.  
  
The door sliding open and a tall middle-aged man coming in to use the bath once again interrupted Ibuki's train of thought (although there was some relief to the fact that it wasn't a sumo).  
  
Using her ninja skills, she sped from the bath, wrapped her towel around herself and jumped onto the ceiling, balancing herself at an extremely odd angle by having her hands on the ceiling and her feet on the wall.  
  
To her great surprise, when she waited for the tall man to hop into the bath, the old strange man was also gone. She fervently scanned the room, but he was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Making sure the tall man was deeply preoccupied with his bath, Ibuki silently dropped from the ceiling, ran out the private bathroom, grabbed her clothes from the women's bathroom and ran up the stairs to her apartment.  
  
Her heart was thumping- she was having fun. Changing into her ninja gear, locking the door behind her and leaping from the fire escape onto a nearby roof, the full moon hovering above the many skyscrapers reflected in her brown eyes. She watched the moon for a moment then dived off the rooftop, disappearing into the shadows. 


	2. a

Chun-Li awoke the next morning, brushed her teeth and carefully dressed in a Chinese style blue shirt and tight long pants. She was just about to walk out the door when she remembered that she hadn't put on her bracelets. Grabbing the bracelets of the bedside table and putting them on, she looked out the window and nearly had a heart attack. Casually hanging upside down and looking right back into her seventeenth floor room was Ibuki with a grin on her face.  
  
"What are you doing?" Proclaimed Chun-Li jumping back.  
  
Ibuki just waved and continued to grin, as if she did this every day.  
  
"I'll meet you downstairs." Chun-Li said awkwardly. And with that, she left her hotel room.  
  
Meeting outside on the busy street a couple of minutes later, the two girls greeted each other and hailed down a cab.  
  
The cab driver smelt strongly of cigarettes and sake as Ibuki gave him the directions in Japanese.  
  
No more than five minutes of dangerous driving, had they arrived outside a large modern hall.  
  
Ibuki and Chun-Li split the taxi cost and handed over the money. As he drove off Chun-Li heard him talking to himself in Japanese, picking up only one word, which sounded like 'cosu-play'.  
  
Entering the hall was like walking into another Tokyo. This hall was the Registry office for the upcoming tournament. But unlike most registries or offices for that matter, this one was brimming with fighters from all over.  
  
Chun-Li spotted Benimaru and beckoned him over. "Where is Shingo?" Ibuki asked.  
  
"He can't make it." Benimaru replied unsympathetically. "His grandmother's ill."  
  
Chun-Li and Ibuki both looked solemn for one minute then asked about what they were going to do for a fourth fighter in their team.  
  
"Well," Started Benimaru running this fingers through his hair. "That's why I was here earlier, asking questions and such. We don't actually need a fourth person. It was just as a sort of precaution."  
  
The two girls seemed satisfied with this answer, and all three of them eventually moved up the line to register. A girl at a computer took their names then informed them that their first fight would take place in half an hour at the north wing.  
  
Benimaru explained to the puzzled girls that many different fights were going on in different areas of the hall today. This was somewhat like a tournament in itself. The men and women in suits watched those fighting and chose the winning teams. Only the winners would go on through to the actual tournament.  
  
Past the drab lines and hopeful fighters, the three crossed the main hall and into a smaller northern room which was much like a dojo.  
  
There was another group of three fighters in the room, obviously who Benimaru, Ibuki and Chun-Li would be up against first.  
  
Sitting in a corner opposite the other team, they stretched and readied themselves. Ibuki in deep meditation on the matted floor, Benimaru clicking his fingers impatiently so that bright blue sparks flew out from them, and Chun-Li stretching her legs, then tapping her shoes on the ground to make sure they were on properly.  
  
In half an hour, three judges silently walked in, took seats facing the padded platform where the fighting was about to take place, then read out the names of the first contestants. "Leona and Chun-Li."  
  
Two women stepped up, Chun-Li, assuming her Tai Chi stance while Leona took a more westernised boxing stance.  
  
Leona obviously had a harsh personalitly from the way she held herself and her khaki uniform shirt, matching shorts and combat boots. She was about the same height as Chun-Li, but her long blue hair gave the illusion that she was slightly taller. Her face was hardened and angular in concentration and Chun-Li could tell she was an experienced fighter.  
  
"Fight!" Echoed the voice of one of the judges.  
  
Leona ran straight in at those words, fist cocked back and eyes blankly fixated on Chun-Li. She threw her punch, but Chun-Li weaved out of it's way like a bamboo stem in the breeze, gracefully countering with a series of lightning fast kicks to Leona's body.  
Leona fell fast to the floor, her limp body slightly rebounding of the mats.  
  
Chun-Li had not expected it to end so quickly. She wanted to have a little fun before she claimed her victory, but never the less; another fighter was on his way once Leona was carried out of the room.  
  
"Clark!" Rang the voice of one of the judges. A tall, broad shouldered man stood onto the platform. Wearing all black and tinted sunglasses, he flexed his muscles and towered over Chun-Li.  
  
"Fight!"  
  
Out of nerves more than anything else, Chun-Li started off this fight. Leaping in the air, whipping her leg around and connecting her foot straight onto the side of Clark's face.  
  
The speed of the kick was matched only by its power and it sent Clark's sunglasses flying off in black glistening shards, although he didn't budge.  
  
His grey eyes pierced Chun-Li as she landed, not noticing his leg coming around and tripping her flat on her back on, giving her just enough time to roll out of the way of his shoulder crashing down towards her.  
  
She rolled onto her feet and pulled off a series of swift back flips that cut through the air. Landing her final back flip sitting in a meditation position, she waited until she heard Clark's heavy footsteps thumping towards her, then attacked at the precise moment, her body elevating into the air whilst delivering an assault of spinning acrobatic kicks that made her seem as if she were dancing mid air before finishing with a bow to her knocked out dance partner.  
  
Chun-Li came back to where she was; she could now hear the cheers of Ibuki and Benimaru. Chun-Li was almost startled that the fight had finished so quickly. One of the judges rushed over and handed them an envelope and a quick congratulations before heading out with the remaining member of their opposing team who threw his red bandanna on the floor in disappointment.  
  
"We're in! We're in!" Exclaimed Ibuki in a hyperactive manner.  
  
"Didn't we have to win three out of three?" Chun-Li said questioningly as if she had just exited from an extremely boring play rather than a fight.  
  
"No, these preliminaries are just the best out of three." Benimaru answered with a massive grin on his face.  
  
...................................  
  
Over the next few days, Benimaru, Chun-Li and Ibuki were in preparation. Ibuki no longer had her childish charm and spent most days training and meditating in silence. Chun-Li was fairly similar although she tended to talk slightly more, while Benimaru was his usual, loud, laughing, trying to act cool, self.  
  
When the day of their first match rolled around, the fighters met in the arena a little earlier. Although a full hour early, the crowd had already witnessed a number of fights already. Down the corridors and in the fighters' locker room, the roaring of the crowd could be heard. All eager to fight, Chun-Li was sitting on a chair, her arms folded and her head down in silent thought. She was wearing a variation of a her traditional Chinese outfit in a pale red colour and her favourite white boots. Ibuki had her ninja outfit on and was unintentionally cracking her knuckles while Benimaru just slouched against the wall, wearing his jeans and half a black shirt (which was what he described as a good luck ritual when the girls sardonically asked if he had accidentally slipped on a child's shirt instead.)  
  
Breaking the silence of the locker room and the crowds feint murmur was a cool female voice announcing the beginning of the next match.  
  
The three fighters walked down a short corridor onto the arena, facing the cheering crowd in all its voracity for more fighting. Bright lights shown down on the arena's floor and the air was mixed with the stench of people and nerves.  
  
The first fight began sooner than expected. Ibuki versus a Japanese girl named Athena. She stepped onto the stage and bowed to an expressionless Ibuki. Each and every fighter in the room was feeling the force of this young girl's energy. It seemed as if she were in control of such a strong and powerful aura. A great smile was planted on her delicate round face with the sparkling whites of her teeth making her colourful outfit that much more dazing. Athena was definitly a force to be reckoned with.  
  
As they both assumed fighting stances, Athena tossed her beautiful head of long hair back and winked to Ibuki.  
  
"Fight!" Echoed a voice over the loud speakers. 


	3. b

Thankyou for the few reviews. The story is still developing but this chapter is basically just pointless fighting. I assure you though that my plot will develop! Reviews and suggestions are of course welcome!!

* * *

Like a fish swimming up stream, Ibuki powerfully launched herself into the air above Athena, took aim and came down towards her. Her outstretched foot would of landed directly onto Athena's shoulder if Athena hadn't gracefully levitated into an uppercut, her glowing red hand poised above her head, connecting with Ibuki's torso and sending her crashing to the ground.  
  
Falling, mid-air Ibuki slowed herself down and landed like a cat before once again leaping high and this time throwing a small dagger that glided through the air like a hawk and landed just where Athena had been standing if she had not used her teleportation technique just in time. Athena's body glowed with a red aura, as she appeared to be splitting into two forms of herself. One remained semi-transparent where the dagger had landed the other appeared right behind Obviously Athena must not have expected Ibuki to be aware of where she had gone and consequently received Ibuki's barrage of spinning kicks. Rotating on one foot and sending kick after kick into Athena, she placed one final kick towards the head then crouched low and like a serpent striking a rodent she recoiled then struck with a blue glowing fist, sending Athena metres away.  
  
Knocked back by such force, Athena limply stepped back onto her feet. She could feel that one of her ribs was broken. Regaining her focus, she crossed her hands, subdued her anger into her palms and released an energy ball at Ibuki before she could react. It shot straight at her, slicing through the air and through the cheering of the crowd. All went silent as Ibuki was struck, her body rising in the air surrounded by small sparks of Athena's aura. Suspended in the air for what seemed like such a long time, the red sparks of energy like fireflies flew off, releasing Ibuki slumped on the floor.  
  
The crowd started again as if someone pressed a play button. The force of their noise seemed to weigh down Ibuki's trembling body even more as she regained her stance looking exhausted and angry. Her soft brown eyes were no longer hers but dry like a rice crop, which hasn't seen rain in over a decade and strained. She ran for Athena and punched her squarely across the face. Preparing for another punch, Athena grabbed her arm and pushed her away. Although it wasn't a forceful move, Ibuki was sent back a few metres by Athena's aura more than anything else.  
  
On the sideline Chun-Li glanced at Benimaru. She was sure she had just seen Ibuki change again. She was right; Ibuki's eyes were back to their warm, deep selves. Slightly taken back, Ibuki remained stationary and then, as if realising where she was again, slid along the floor, swiftly leapt at Athena, capturing her in a hold then releasing her body, paralysed.  
  
Ibuki stood over her, taking deep raspy breaths of the salty warm air. She knew that this was a very reliable ninja technique, but to her surprise, Athena did not remain motionless; on the contrary she stood right up, but without moving her arms or legs. Like invisible strings were pulling her onto her feet, she began to glow again with her aura. Her eyes were closed and her hair was gracefully dancing behind her although there was no wind. From her crossed arms shot two great energy balls.  
  
They forced Ibuki back, as they encircled Athena, radiating a powerful blue light then eventually died down to just a weak glow as Athena opened her eyes, steadied the two energy balls and shot them at Ibuki.  
  
They came straight for her and without much thought like a bear waiting for the fish to jump right into his lap, Ibuki pulled forth a number of her Kunai daggers and shot right towards them.  
  
Swallowing dagger after dagger like water through the gills of a fish the energy projectile finally subsided as if the bear had caught its fish, and dispersed into a shower of blue sparks.  
  
Ibuki had shielded her eyes at the last moment and now that her eyes had focused once again she saw Athena stepping down. She had forfeited. Ibuki looked at her team. Chun-Li shrugged while Benimaru gave her the 'thumbs up'. "What is she doing?" Ibuki thought to herself. "She can still fight!" But Ibuki's thoughts were shoved out of her mind, because her next opponent was ready. To nearly everyone's surprise, the next challenger was just a child.  
  
His round little head topped with an orange Yorkshire cap nearly two sizes too big hardly reached above Ibuki's hips. Matching his orange cap was his orange suit, in a style commonly worn by Chinese children. But Ibuki had already learnt enough from her last opponent to underestimate him because of his appearance.  
  
He bowed to Ibuki then glanced up at her with a cheeky smile. He had the same warm brown eyes as Ibuki and had a very comical face that seemed to be constantly changing expressions.  
  
"Fight!"  
  
Ibuki tried to find something else to concentrate on rather than his face, but soon found his fighting style even more off-putting. Her body ached and sweat trickled down her face yet she couldn't help but smile at her opponent as he skipped and stumbled in a sort of stance like that of a dog wagging it's tail waiting for someone to throw him a stick.  
  
"Hi! I'm Bao!" Squeaked the little fighter. "What's your name? Na-ma-e desu ka?"  
  
Ibuki didn't answer, trying to hold back a smile. Instead she threw a small kick, the kind that is used re-arrange pillows that fall onto the floor. Bao jumped out of its way and poked out his tongue in a disapproving way.  
  
Ibuki planted a stronger kick onto her opponent's chest then continued with a fierce spinning elbow to his head, sending him into a daze while she waited for him to regain his balance. She was a fierce fighter but had no intention of actually harming this child.  
  
She leapt in the air and performed her 'wind cutter' technique, sending two quick kicks mid air onto Bao's head. This match was just a game to Ibuki, which Bao wasn't enjoying it very much yet still he didn't throw a punch.  
  
While Benimaru was intently watching Ibuki toy with her little opponent, Chun-Li was eyeing the opposing team. On the other side of the arena, sat Athena and a tall curvaceous woman with a yellow scarf draped around her shoulders who Chun-Li didn't know. They we both watching the fight as if Bao wasn't doing anything wrong.  
  
Back on the arena Ibuki was mid air over Bao when he suddenly attacked, cart wheeling out of Ibuki's reach and striking her back with two open palms. She stumbled around, clearly not expecting a blow at all then turned and let loose her 'flying swallow' move. Her leg powerfully rose vertically in the air but missed Bao by mere inches. He waited for her descent, focused his energy then somersaulted into a rolling ball of chi that knocked Ibuki out cold. While Ibuki though she had been toying with him, Bao was toying with her all along.  
  
She felt someone lifting her up and the roaring crowd as she slowly came to. Her match was over; she had been defeated and although only a young child had defeated her, she felt content with her performance. She watched as Benimaru entered the arena. The announcing of the word "fight!" to signify the start of the battle could barely be heard over the crowd. All the girls in the crowd were now chanting Benimaru's name.  
  
The fighters began, Benimaru pulling of a combo of punches and jabs, which was all easily avoided by Bao who jumped in and out of Benimaru's range. Bao ducked an electrically charged punch that crackled through the air then countered with graceful punches that looked like a crane flapping it's wings.  
  
"Yare, yare!" Taunted Benimaru. "Stop doing tai-chi like a middle-aged woman and fight me." Bao smirked and released his human chi ball attack. The blue glowing energy surrounded his body and lifted him straight into Benimaru, smashing into his chest. Bao stood over Benimaru's body and smiled at him. "You're funnnn-ii!" Chimed his little voice.  
  
Benimaru angrily got up. The static in the air was monstrous as his arm arced over his head and sent a lightning bolt at Bao. Bao blocked just in time but wasn't ready for Benimaru's knee to come crashing into his face.  
  
Bao was down. The paramedics rushed him away as the third and final fighter steadily walked towards Benimaru. A slender woman that glided more than walked, her dark curly hair trailing behind her like falling blossoms. Her name was Rose, a fighter from Italy. She wore a startling red dress with black stockings and a yellow scarf that was weaved between her arms and around her hips.  
  
As the fight began her eyes caught Benimaru's attention. Two perfect startling purple ovals looked straight into him, seeing everything and knowing all. Benimaru had to shake his head to exit the trance, just in time to avoid the first attack.  
  
The scarf had now unravelled itself from Rose's body and lashed out at Benimaru. Benimaru countered by jumping in the air, his body spinning downward and kicking Rose. "Soul Spark!" Rose shouted, sending a magnificent ball of flames from her scarf wrapped around outstretched arm. The soul spark hit Benimaru, sending magical flames all over his body.  
  
Benimaru fell to his knees and began to laugh. "That was most amusing!" He laughed suavely.  
  
Benimaru jumped onto his feet and aimed a kick at Rose. Before his foot could connect, Rose had summoned her scarf and it arced around slashing Benimaru across the torso. His body fell through the air, arching and landing on his hands, flipping back on his feet and releasing his super art. The power of a vicious thunderstorm clenched in his fist struck Rose.  
  
..........................  
  
The first match was over. Benimaru, Ibuki and Chun-Li walked out of the main hall some hours later into the fading sunlight. There hailing down a large taxi was the opposing team, all carrying minor injuries. Athena in the lead with a great big smile on her face paused in front of the open doors then lead her other team members over.  
  
"Congratulations!" She said heartedly.  
  
"Indeed. I hope to fight you again some time." Said Rose smoothly to Benimaru.  
  
With this Bao piped up, smiling despite a large bandage over his nose. "Aren't you forgetting something?"  
  
Athena and Rose nodded in unison. The scarf wrapped around Rose's neck shifted itself outwards, poised in front of Chun-Li and like a hand placed something in her palm.  
  
"Ahh, Thankyou." Choked a confused Chun-Li. Ibuki and Benimaru bowed to Athena, Bao and Rose before they drove off.  
  
Startled and at a loss for words Benimaru and Ibuki looked into Chun-Li's palm. Their opponents had left a very small, but delicately wrapped present. 


	4. c

Okay this chapter is a little short, but it's necessary. Other than that, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for the reviews! Please keep them coming!

* * *

In the taxi now zooming down Tokyo, Bao, Rose and Athena all sat in silence. Rose sat cross-legged shuffling a deck of tarot cards in her hands while Athena and Bao dreamily looked out the window. The taxi finally stopped outside a large office building, where they got out. Instead of going through the shiny-mirrored doors, they walked past the building down the alleyway next to it and into a small but clean, thatched roof hut.  
  
It smelled like a Chinese apothecary, except instead of jars of herbs and fungi, it was just a gift shop, selling small ornamental Japanese fans and Noh masks. Athena talked to the woman over the counter in Japanese for a few minutes then left. Back out on the street a black stretch limo had parked. Athena hopped straight in, but Bao and Rose hesitated, never really needing a limo before.  
  
As they sat down in the cool interior, Athena spoke, "There has been a change in plans." Her voice wasn't that of her usual perky self. Instead it was calm and serious.  
  
"I know." Replied Rose in a similar cool voice. "I have foreseen it just recently." Rose had a tarot card clutched between to fingers. It was the innocence card.  
_  
**...........................................**.._

Backstage at a Kabuki theatre, sat a tall, broad man. He was covered in an odd sort of blue and orange kimono that sat in a really awkward position. He had bright red hair that fell past his waist like flames, which most people mistook for a wig, but was actually his natural hair.  
  
The plucking strings of a shamisen could be heard and as the drums began to beat he walked out on stage. Each step in time with the beating drums and fluently mixed with the tune from the shamisen. His white painted face made no expression, but his hands and his steps were like watching sakura blossoms fall onto water.  
  
He performed his dance accompanied by the other actors, but none of them had his grace. All the eyes in the audience were planted on him, mesmerised by his movements.  
  
After the dance was over, he exited back into his dressing room. On the wall of his dressing room was a most distinguishable woodblock print, obviously very old and very valuable. It portrayed a tall, broad man with his face painted red and white, a strange, bright kimono and long red hair holding a naginata. This man was Kyoshiro, warrior and kabuki actor back in the Edo period and ancestor of the man acting in Osaka today. His name was also Kyoshiro, after being born with his strong face and fierce red hair, his strongly Shinto parents took him to the shrine and the priests believed him to be the great Kyoshiro reincarnated.  
  
Nearly thirty years later and unaware of the Shinto prophecy, Kyoshiro became a fairly famous kabuki actor in Japan and a fierce warrior.  
  
Tonight something was bothering him. He felt cold and heavy. He could hear the rain outside, sliding of the tiled roof and tapping on the roads. Changing into his casual clothes and grabbing his bag he set out back home. Sheltering himself under random roofs from the rain, he was crossing the road when he nearly was run over by a black limo. Startled his dropped his bag and a kimono fell out onto the wet road.  
  
It had stopped just in time. It's bright beams illuminating the drops of rain on either side of him. Inside Rose pulled forth a tarot card from the pile. "The chance card." She murmured vaguely. At this Athena stepped out of the car, "Excuse me!" She called out to Kyoshiro, "I'm really sorry, are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine. It was my fault." He said politely, picking up the ruined kimono.  
  
'Perfect.' Athena thought to herself. "Please let me make it up to you. I'll drop you to where you're heading and I'll get that kimono fixed."  
  
Kyoshiro wasn't quite certain as to why this little girl was being so kind but he accepted and entered the limo anyway. Inside, now that he could see more clearly, he noticed that the young girl that had talked to him was Athena Asamiya. The other two he didn't know. "Where are you going?" Asked Athena.  
  
"Shibuya." He replied. He had a party to go but as he was already late he was contemplating whether going at all.  
  
"You're right you know." Said Bao.  
  
Kyoshiro looked down at him with a puzzled look?  
  
"The party. It's a bit late and you're not feeling up to it." Bao said matter-of-factly. Kyoshiro was puzzled. Could this small child be reading his mind?

"Well, I'm getting my kimono fixed." He said blankly so it was open for interpretation. Kyoshiro was an actor and could act innocent and stupid if he had to fool some people.

Bao cut the silence continuing with his little game. "Is it true that you are not only very good at fooling people but also a fighter?"

Kyoshiro played along not batting an eyelid but his mind raced at top speed to understand how this child knew so much about him. "Well little child, I have been known to throw temper tantrums when I can't learn my dance steps correctly but that is about it. How about you? Or is that bandage just for effect?" He remarked referring to the bandage over Bao's nose.

Bao's round faced turned a shade of red. "No, I mean I may very well have fallen over whilst performing on stage like those silly- what do you call them? Ka-kooky actors? But I'm talking about 'fighting' fighting. Like _samurai_ for example."

Kyoshiro could handle this. He now knew what was going on. He smiled and said one word. "Orochi?"  
  
It was Rose who spoke now. "Similar." She said as she suffled her deck then drew one final card. The 'twin card'.

.........................................................

The limousine pulled up in front of Kyoshiro's apartment. He had not told them where he lived but assumed they read his mind.

As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, his feet crunched on the wet cement, Athena called out to him, "I'll return this kimono tomorrow, please be ready." And with that the limo drove off. "_Please be ready_." The words echoed in Kyoshiro's head as he entered his neat and expensive looking apartment. Pouring a glass of sake and sitting down cross-legged on the tatami mats he meditated.

............................................................

The morning rays hit Kyoshiro's heavy eyelids, illuminating his strong curves and broad facial features. He checked the clock, quickly got dressed and took his naginata out of its box and into a sports bag. Sure enough, as he walked down the stairs and onto the street, Athena was waiting for him. "We will be meeting the other shortly." She said, answering what he was thinking. Getting once again in the back of a limo, they sat in silence all the way to a private airport. Slightly confused Kyoshiro just followed Athena onto a small jet. Rose and Bao were inside already sitting down. "We are going to Tenri. A small town in the Nara prefecture." Athena said, once again reading his mind. "We will be there in a few hours."

........................................................................

"Err, should we have gotten her something too?" Said Benimaru to Chun-Li and Ibuki over dinner at a steamy noodle house. "I mean they gave us plane tickets to Nara and accommodation in Tenri because we beat them?" Benimaru was confused but the girls on the other hand were excited. "I've never been to Nara, so I really want to go!" Said Chun-Li. "Same!" Said Ibuki. "And it's right after our next fight tomorrow."


	5. Part Two

The lights shone down on the arena. Ibuki stood there, centre stage, eyeing her opponent, making mental notes of weak points. He stood across from her, doing the same thing. Foot sliding slightly across the mats, black studded boots shining, he reached his hand back and grasped the handle of his baseball bat. As he did so, Ibuki rushed in, sliding across the floor, and with one fell swoop, knocked him off his feet.

He bounced back up, eyes narrowed in an angry rage, and threw a baseball up from his belt into the air, grasped his bat, and swung. The ball flew off the bat, hurtling towards Ibukim who narrowly dodged it but wasn't fast enough to dodge another one he had just hit. It burrowed deep into her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs and forcing her to crouch on the ground gasping for breath like a fish out of water.

She didn't know what to do, suddenly realizing the crowd and how noisy it was. She looked around; the faces blurred. She couldn't even see her opponent. She continued to glance around, thinking desperately of what to do and at the same time trying hard to breathe...and then she saw him, the same strange one-armed man who had been in the bath and couple of days before.

He was on the edge of the arena, looking straight at her, his small eyes glowing in the back of his wrinkled old head. Then she had breath again. She stood up. Her opponent had been waiting for her, looking thoroughly disappointed that she had wasted valuable fighting time.

Ibuki gave a small bow of recognition to her opponent before looking about for the one-armed man, but he had disappeared again.

She bent low and flung herself in the air, spinning gracefully over the head of her opponent and stealing the white baseball cap off his head, revealing messy spikes of black hair.

He clenched his fists and bared his teeth, then ran at Ibuki in an angry rage. She sidestepped and as he fell past her she grabbed one of the baseballs attached to his belt then threw it as hard as she could at him.

With the ball speeding to him, the bared teeth turned to an angry smirk. Grabbing his bat, he stepped forward and smashed the ball right back to Ibuki, who was now wearing the white baseball cap on back to front, just as her opponent had been. She stepped out of the way, then jumped once again in the air and aimed a few daggers.

Just as she had suspected, the baseball bat again came out and all three daggers nailed themselves into the wood. As he looked inquisitively at them, Ibuki silently ran in for the final blow, turning back then furiously spinning around, delivering a hefty bombardment of spinning kicks, and ending in a high jump kick. She then saw her opponent fall unconsciously to the floor, his button up baseball uniform spotlessly white except for a dozen dusty foot marks around the torso, and the bat coming down a few moments later.

When he awakened shortly after, Ibuki returned the cap. He silently took it back, running his fingers through his black spiky fringe and placing the cap strategically on back to front.

The noise calmed again inside Ibuki's head. Her next opponent stood only a few paces from her. Tall for a Japanese girl but probably the same age as Ibuki, with long, slender legs that curved up to a small but muscular physique, she rested a volleyball on her open palm with fingers heavily taped.

"Fight!"

The ball bounced and then rested back in her palm. She bounced it again then flung it high into the air. Ibuki, whose eyes were momentarily watching the ball, wasn't fast enough to see the open palm that pushed her back then trapped the ball.

It began bouncing again, high into the air, then it's master followed, smacking the ball down with an open palm some distance above Ibuki's head.

Countering the volleyball that had just made an imprint on the floor, Ibuki attacked with her trademark aerial kicks, only her opponent did roughly the same thing. The higher Ibuki jumped, the higher her opponent jumped out of the way, countering with fast and furious hand movements.

Back on the sidelines, heads angled upwards to see where most of the fighting was taking place, were Benimaru and Chun-Li.

"I know her." Said Benimaru. "Her name is Natsu Ayuhara. Played in the National High School Volleyball Championship last year."

"And why were you at a high school volleyball competition? Aren't the girls a little young for you there?" asked Chun-Li inquisitively, finally taking her eyes off the fight to give Benimaru a dirty look.

"Well it wasn't me who couldn't keep my eyes and hands off the girls, it was more the other way around."

Chun-Li gave him an even dirtier, more suspicious glare.

"Okay, okay, I was there because Shingo was there, eyeing off the girls."

Chun-Li's facial expression didn't change.

"I swear I didn't do anything!"

Their focus then went back to the fight, just in time to see Ibuki take her last blow and Natsu standing above her, the volleyball being casually bounced in the left hand. Her red uniform was slightly torn and one of her kneepads had fallen off, but she bowed politely as Ibuki limped down to sit near to Benimaru. In passing Chun-Li, she whispered to her, "Bring her back to Earth."

"Fight!"

Chun-Li knew what Ibuki had meant. She was going to play this one defensively. Sitting lightly on the ground, her hands outstretched and legs delicately resting in flexible positions, she looked just like a lotus flower sitting on top of still water.

Natsu examined her, slightly taken back at why her opponent would choose to lounge about during a fight.

'Well if this is the way she's going to play it, then I'm not holding back!' She thought to herself. The ball bounced once, lifted into the air and then came plummeting back down from a smack that echoed in the large arena.

Extending her right leg, Chun-Li stopped the speeding projectile with the tip of her toe. She arched her back, placed her hands on the floor behind her and gracefully handstanded, resting the volleyball on the ball of her foot.

Natsu stared back in sheer disbelief.

'How... did she... that was my strongest spike!'

Chun-Li smiled, standing back on her own two feet, juggling the ball so it came to rest on top of one outstretched finger before casually passing it back to Natsu so it rolled along the floor.

Natsu picked up the ball. Disbelieving what had just happened, she bounced the ball again, flung it high into the air and came crashing down on it with her most forceful palm. Once again it hurtled down towards Chun-Li, but this time she just stepped out of the way. The ball glided past her, causing her hair ribbons to flail madly around then rolled off the fighting stage entirely.

This had been what Chun-Li was waiting for and narrowed in on Natsu. She ducked a few uppercuts, lined Natsu up and released her lightning kicks. The white blur of her leg left Natsu spinning to the ground, no longer able to fight.

The breeze blew gently across the quiet suburbs of Tenri. It lifted Kyoshiro's fiery locks across his shoulders and ruffled Rose's scarf.

The jet journey had been a fast and silent one and Kyoshiro was wondering why he had come here. It had been a strange few days. He had felt something coming but was having seconds thoughts.

A few minutes later, a vehicle pulled up beside them. Not the black limousines that had been ushering them about all day, but a large black family car. It blended in better than a limousine but still stood out against the modest buildings, with their old tiled roofs and worn looking roads.

The car weaved around the suburban maze, past a small convenience store, past the building labelled Nanki dormitory, and onto the busier main road.

Fast moving soccer boots crashed into Chun-Li. Her opponent was a tricky one. He adjusted his blue visor, gleaming in the artificial light, so it covered his eyes. He ran at Chun-Li, side stepped and rolled into a bicycle kick that crashed onto her shoulder.

She recovered and aimed a roundhouse kick, but he countered again, sliding across the floor, going for her feet. She jumped just in time, and heel stomped but before her foot could make contact her ankle had been tightly griped and she was thrown down.

She plummeted to earth fast, unable to turn or land safely and crashing onto her side.

The full force of the throw shattering a few ribs on the landing continued to crack as she steadily got back to her feet.

Chun-li focused on her opponent and flung her hands out beside her. He fingers began to tingle, slowly becoming clenched fists then back to outstretched palms, a wave of blue light surging from her fingers tips, her opponents foot steps grew faster but somehow quieter, he was right in front of her and...

"Kikou Shou!"

_Whhaam_!!

A great ball of blue light had engulfed the ring. Through it's semi transparent glow the figures of someone standing and someone crumpled on the ground could be made out.

As the blue light slowly faded into starlight dust, Chun-Li was left standing; her light and delicate blue clothing tattered around the edges and her knuckles left red and bloody.

Kyoshiro no longer knew where he was. He had never been in these parts of rural Japan. The rice fields here were taller and quieter. No farmers and no people in general. The clouds went past all looking the same from the car window. On the left were woods, daunting and black, but silent like the rice fields.

He impatiently cracked his knuckles.

Bao, sitting next to him threw a quick glance at him from under his cap. Kyoshiro could tell that this silence was getting to Bao more than himself.

Athena and Rose on the other hand still didn't care. Rose occasionally murmured to the driver and Athena just sat patiently, hands folded and looking polite.

And from the monotonous surroundings the tip of torii appeared peeking over the black treetops.

They pulled up in front of it. A dark entrance cut out from the growth revealed stone steps that seemed wet although the weather at the current time was dry.

"Follow us." Said Athena and Rose in unison.

Kyoshiro followed, this day was not one in which stopping and asking questions would benefit him. Instead he just shuffled along, into the cool shadows of the trees and onto the moist steps.

A strong gust of wind blew through the stairway. It grabbed Rose's scarf and carried down back from where they came.

"Leave it." She said.

The wind had ruffled Kyoshiro's clothes and he now realised that he was carrying his naginata, which he could have sworn he had not been carrying before.

The steps never seemed to end. They had been climbing them for some time and as it seemed to only get darker they finally reached where the tunnel of trees finally opened up at the base of the torii and into the light again where a handsome looking shrine was built on the flat of the ground. The clouds which aloud-small spots of flying light to be visible shaded its entrance. They were fireflies. Small little flames hanging in the air, glowing in such brilliance Kyoshiro stood for a moment just watching them play.

They whirred fast for a moment, ceased and seemed to be suspended in time then whirred fast again, coming together and creating a blanket of small spots of fire before shooting of into different directions and onto their lives again leaving behind an old one-armed man.


End file.
